Sissy in the Snow

"Hey, bud," Lacey said. "Since it's just you and me all weekend, I was wondering if you want to go to the movies. We can go see that new Slugman movie you were begging mom and dad to go to." Benny looked up from his video game and smiled at his older sister.

"Sure!" He jumped off the couch, but then stopped. "Oh, but I can't."

"Huh? Why not?" He gulped and pointed toward the front yard.

"Because Connor and his goons are outside. They said they'll pelt me with snowballs if I show my face." Lacey went to the window and peeked outside. Sure enough, they were out there, even if they were doing their best to make it look like they were just hanging out.

"I see." She said. "And you think they'd do it even if you were with me?"

"I'd never live it down if they saw me hiding behind my big sister." Benny said. Lacey nodded. That made sense, she supposed.

"Well, the only answer, I guess, is for them to not realize it's you."

"What do you mean?"

"A disguise, dummy. Like in a spy movie."

"A disguise?" Lacey nodded, an idea springing fully formed into her head.

"Yep. And I know just the one, but" she lifted his chin so he was looking her right in the eye. "But you have to promise that you'll do it, no matter what."

"For Slugman? I'd go out there naked." She laughed.

"You definitely won't be naked, but I love the enthusiasm!"

Benny's enthusiasm faded a great deal once he stood in Kimmy's bedroom.

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, I am." Lacey said. "Fact number one: they'd never expect you in a million years to dress up as a girl, right?" He nodded, not liking where this was going. "Fact number two: my clothes are too big for you, so it has to be Kimmy's, right?"

"But"

"Fact three: you really really want to see Slugman and promised to do it, no matter what."

"I guess, but"

"Trust me. It's cold enough that we can bundle you up in a bunch of winter clothes and they won't stand a chance of recognizing you."

"But, Lacey!"

"Get undressed. You can keep your underwear, but everything else has to go." Benny shivered, but what choice did he have? He had to see Slugman!

He stripped down to his boxer briefs, grimacing as Lacey handed him a pair of pink and white striped pants, but they were way too small for him.

"These won't fit! I'm not a doll!"

"They're leggings. They stretch." Lacey said. "And don't even complain about the color. If we go as pink as possible, they won't ever suspect a boy like you would willingly go out like that. They'll just see pink and assume you're Kimmy."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Lacey smirked, but patted his shoulder sympathetically.

"Movie's starting soon. C'mon. Sit down on Kimmy's bed and just ease them up your legs." He grumbled, but complied. This movie better be worth it! "Quit complaining or I'll spritz you with perfume!" Lacey teased, having fun even if Benny was not.

"They're on." He said. Lacey tossed a pair of socks at him. They were white, at least, even if they had lace around the ankles. He tugged them on. "Oh, no way." He said, seeing the dress in Lacey's hands.

"Kimmy always dresses up when we go out. You need to pass as her, remember?"

"But it's so... so..."

"The last thing Benny would wear, right? So it's perfect for your Kimmy disguise."

"If anyone ever finds out about this"

"No one will. We'll make sure everything's back perfectly by the time mom, dad, and the real Kimmy get home Sunday night, kay?" He grimaced as she pulled the pink dress over his head, shivering as the soft fabric brushed him all the way down.

"I can't even see my feet!" He pushed down on the skirt and groaned. This was all too much!

"So? You know they're there, don't you?" She smiled and, feeling a bit mischevious, pivoted her brother so he could see his reflection for the first time.

"Oh, my god! It looks like my head on... on Kimmy's body!"

"I told you the disguise would work." Lacey said proudly. "Now, come on. We've still gotta bundle you up. It's cold outside, baby!" She took his head and led the boy out of Kimmy's room, giggling as he tried in vain to stop his dress from bouncing. Oh, this was too much fun!

Benny stood in the living room, pouting as Lacey gathered everything she needed to complete his outfit. She set it all right by him, naming each item.

"Puffy pink coat, pink mittens, sparkly pink scarf, and, of course, her Barbie boots." She looked over the small mountain. "Oh, and a hat to hide your boy hair." She grabbed the white stocking cap with a pink pompom and pink faux fur around the brim, pulling it down over his head. "You already look more like Kimmy. You two have the same face. Weird I've never noticed before."

"I can't do this."

"You're already in the dress. Isn't that the worst part?"

"I... I guess."

"That's the spirit. Now sit down on the couch so I can get your boots on." She giggled as he plopped down, the skirt of the dress exploding around him. "I guess we don't really have time to teach you to sit right." Sit right? How was there a right way to sit?

"This is... argh!" He exclaimed in frustration as Lacey pulled the fluffy pink mittens over his hands.

"Tell you what? After the movie, we can go to Sloppy Burger, kay?"

"Okay..." It was his favorite restaurant, after all. Lacey smiled.

"Nearly done. Just need your coat. You've worn a coat before, right?" He tried his best to keep his fussing to a minimum as she pulled it on him. "Alright, and now we'll use this scarf to cover your face. Then we can go." She wrapped it around and around his face until all that showed was his eyes.

"I feel like a marshmallow." He moaned, his voice muffled. Lacey smiled and snapped a photo.

"Just to show you." She promised. "You do kinda look like a marshmallow. A pink, frilly little girl marshmallow." His eyes widened as she showed him the photo. "C'mon, the only way to tell it's you is you have brown eyes and Kimmy has blue. Those boys won't notice though. I promise." She grabbed a mittened hand and gave a squeeze. The mittens were so thick, he could barely even feel it! "Ready?" He nodded, his voice abandoning him. He was actually going outside? Like this? "Oh, one last thing. Don't scrape your feet when you walk. Try to skip like Kimmy does, okay?"

"As if I'm not humiliated enough." He muttered, but the scarf muffled it so much, Lacey did not even hear. All the same, as soon as the door opened and he saw the bullies, he began to skip. He needed them to believe he was his little sister!

"What a nice day, hmm, Kimmy?" Lacey said loudly, before turning back to yell into the house. "Bye, Benny! We're off on our girl's night!" He had to give her credit for thinking of everything.

Benny kept skipping half-heartedly until they were about a block away from the bullies. It had worked! Lacey's ridiculous disguise had worked! Now he would get to see Slugman, eat at Sloppy Burger, and put this all... he froze and it was not because of the winter's breeze playing with his dress. He had nothing to change into. He was out, practically halfway to the movie theater, dressed like Kimmy!

"Lacey!" He whined. "I... I don't have anything else to wear."

"I guess you'll just have to stay like that." Lacey said thoughtfully. "I didn't think to pack your clothes up. Should've thought of it yourself, honestly."

"What am I gonna do?"

"Simple. We'll keep the hat on so no one sees your hair. You really do have the same face as Kimmy, so as long as you act shy like her and don't talk, it'll be fine. If you need to go potty, I'll take you into the girls' room."

"But"

"You want to see Slugman, don't you?" He groaned.

"Yes..."